White-winged Warbler
Encyclopedia
The White-winged Warbler (Xenoligea montana), also called Hispaniolan Highland-tanager, is a species of bird
formerly classified in the Parulidae family. It is the only member
of the genus
Xenoligea, and is found solely in the Dominican Republic
and Haiti
, which share the island of Hispaniola
.
The bird is 13–14 cm with a long, long tail and robust beak. Upper back and rump are olive green, head is dark grey, tail and wings are blackish. Eyes have apartial white eye-ring and a white stripe going down towards the beak. Underparts are white, turning to gray on the flanks.
Recently it has been shown be too distant genetically from the Parulidae proper to be included there with good justification. Instead, DNA evidence supports including it in Thraupidae in a clade with its sister genus Microligea, and the Phaenicophilus
palm-tanagers - and in fact, it looks like rather like a miniature version of Phaenicophilus
.
Its natural habitat
s are subtropical or tropical moist montane
forest and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland
, usually at altitudes above 1,300 meters. It is threatened by habitat loss. It feeds both on fruits and insects, foraging in the underbrush and all the way up to the forest canopy. It frequently joins mixed foraging flocks of other warblers.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
formerly classified in the Parulidae family. It is the only member
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Xenoligea, and is found solely in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, which share the island of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
.
The bird is 13–14 cm with a long, long tail and robust beak. Upper back and rump are olive green, head is dark grey, tail and wings are blackish. Eyes have apartial white eye-ring and a white stripe going down towards the beak. Underparts are white, turning to gray on the flanks.
Recently it has been shown be too distant genetically from the Parulidae proper to be included there with good justification. Instead, DNA evidence supports including it in Thraupidae in a clade with its sister genus Microligea, and the Phaenicophilus
Phaenicophilus
Phaenicophilus is a genus of bird in the Thraupidae family.It contains the following species:* Black-crowned Palm-tanager * Grey-crowned Palm-tanager...
palm-tanagers - and in fact, it looks like rather like a miniature version of Phaenicophilus
Phaenicophilus
Phaenicophilus is a genus of bird in the Thraupidae family.It contains the following species:* Black-crowned Palm-tanager * Grey-crowned Palm-tanager...
.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are subtropical or tropical moist montane
Montane
In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
forest and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
, usually at altitudes above 1,300 meters. It is threatened by habitat loss. It feeds both on fruits and insects, foraging in the underbrush and all the way up to the forest canopy. It frequently joins mixed foraging flocks of other warblers.